Ebenezer F. Porter, a Kansas state senator and lumberman, came to northwest Florida in search of investment opportunities. He purchased acres of timberland in the western Florida panhandle in the late 1880s, including the areas of Harold and Holt.

At the time, the town of Harold was known as Goodrange, a stop on the Louisiana and Nashville railroad. Porter renamed Goodrange after his son, Harold. He tried to change Holt’s name for his other son, Houston; however, that attempt failed.

Houston Porter, a land developer, was involved in the failed Floridale community development in the mid-1920s. His other son, Harold, was general manager of his father’s timber interests in Holt and lived with his wife, Elsie, here.

According to the history of the First Baptist Church of Holt, Porter donated land for the church.

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Editor’s Note:  If you have a photo of an old Holt memory, send it to Holt Enterprise News for Throwback Thursday at holt.enterprise.news@gmail.com. Don’t forget to include what the photo is about.